Automobile top



Nov. 15, 1932.

D. E. GRAHAM AUTOMOBILE TOP Filed Oct. 9, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l gwn/Cm',

Nov. 15, 1932. D. E. `GRAHAM 1,888,121

811110111081118 TOP Filed Oct. 9, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3mm/Lilo E; 5 @/Wfg 59W Patented Nov. 15, 1,932

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DUNCAN GRAHAM, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR F ONE-FOURTHTO DR. AND l MRS. GLYDE W. BUMPUS, 0F DENVER, COLORADO i AUroMoBILE Tor Application led October 9, 1926. Serial No. 140,523.

This ,invention .relates to a foldable top for open automobiles,;.and has lfor its principal to ject the provision of a top which can be quickly `and leasily erected or folded by one person and which, when folded, will occupy space no wider than the width of a single VAnother :object of the invention is to provide a top of this character which can be but partially folded, .if desired, to act as a sun yshield for` occupants when vie-wing aeronautical exhibitions, etc.

`Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which Yis "designed .for simplicity, economy, and efficiency. These will become more apparent :from the following description.

.In the folowing detailed description of the invention reference is had vto the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawings and throughout the description.

In the drawings:

Fig. :1 illustrates-one form of my improved Atop in place on a Vtouring car.

Fig. '2 'illustrates .a longitudinal section through the top of Fig. 1, `in the folded position. In broken line in this View one position during the folding operation is illustrated.

Fig. 3 isa longitudinal section .through an altern-ate form vof the top las designed forl roadsters andthe. like.

Fig. -4 is :a partial plan view .of the top bows inthe folded position.

Fig. V5 is .a longitudinal section through the top of Fig. :3 in the vfolded position.

Fig. V6 illustrates 1a method which may .be employed for receiving the sliding pivots employed with .the top.

In Fig. 1 .the automobile is illustrated at 1() and the ywind-shield 'thereof at 11. The top material, illustrated at 27, Vis broken away to illustrate the supporting structure which is shown in section. Tfhe improved top is supported .by means ofa foldable frame comprising a main bow 12, pivoted at 13 to the autozmobile, immediately "behind the rear door. An angle bow 14 is pivoted at 15 in a longitudinal slot 1.6'in1the main :bow 12. Similarly that bow. y

The `top covering 27 is folded between the.

.pivoted at 17 in 4a slot 18 in the angle bow 14,

is a top bow 19. At each side .of the frame a front bow supi-porting rod is pivoted at 21 to the top bow 19 and at 22 to the angle bow 14.

The front bow supporting rods20 carry'the rear extremities of a front bow 23 which is pivoted thereto at 24;, the forward extremities of the supporting rods 20 being provided with rests 25 to maintain the front `bow in alignment withthe rods. i

The frontbow'23 is providedwith the usual angles .26 for attachment to the posts .of the wind-shield 11. The upward .angle of .the main bow 12 is limited by a rear Acurtain 28 and gypsy curtains 29'which are. attached :to

the automobile 10.

Let'us assume the top is in the position of Fig. 1 and itis desired'to fold the same. The front bow'23'is detached from the wind-shield 11 allowing the main bow 12 to fall rearwardly to a substantially horizontal position, as

indicated in broken line, where it is supportf ed by any desirable top `rest 30. The angle bow 14 is now forced rearwardly, causingrits rear pivots 15 to slide along the slots 16'in the main bow 12, vas indicated in broken line in F ig. 2, `until it assumes a position within the main bow. The'top bow 19 is now .forced rearwardly causing. its pivot 17 to slide in the slot 18 until it also lies within lthe main bow 12. In forcing the bow 19 within the main bow 12, theA supporting rods20, being pivoted thereto, are also brought into alignment with the main bow. The front bow 23 is nowvfolded on its pivots 24: `until italso lies within the vmain bow 12. In Athis position the `entire supporting structure lies within the main bow and is of no greater width than the width of bows, and the rear curtain 28 and gypsy curtains '29 are folded below the bows, as indicated in F ig. `2, in which position they are maintained by means of a slip cover'31.

In erecting 'the top, the bow 19 is drawn forwardly to its final position. This bow in unfolding will raise the .angle bow 14 and bring the rods 20 to their final'position.

`The front-bow 23 is now pulled forwardly and lsecuredto .the wind-.shield v11.

In the alternate forms of Figs, 3. 4 and 5, a more simplified construction is illustrated adaptable for small, one-seated automobiles of the roadster type. In this form a main bow 32 is employed arranged to be secured at 33 to the automobile. Pivoted at 34 in a slot 35 in each arm of the main bow 32 is a top bow 36. At each side of the top brace rods 37 are pivoted at 38 to the top bow 36 and at 39 to the main bow 32. A front bow 40 is pivoted to each of the brace rods 37 at 41 and maintained in alignment by means of arest 42 carried on the extremities of the brace rods. J

In folding the top from the position of Fig. 3, the front bow 40 is released from the wind-shield, indicated at 43,- allowing the main bow 32 to assume a horizontal position. The top may be allowed to remain in this position to serve as a sun shield when the automobile is at rest, if desired. The top bow 36V is forced rearwardly causing its pivot 34 to travel along the slots 35. As the top bow 36 moves downwardly it will also force the brace rods 37 downwardly until they and the top bow are in alignment with the main bow. The front bow 40 is V-now folded within the `top bow 36, as indicated at Fig. 4.

bracerods 37 which support the folded top structure. In this form, as in the previous form, the top material, indicated at 45, is folded'within the bows as illustrated in Fig.

, 5 and maintained in place by means of a suitable slip cover 46. It is necessary for the Vtop bow 36 to fold over the pivot 39 in the main bow, and it is therefore off-set as indicated at 47 to receive the pivot.

In the drawings I have illustrated the slots for the sliding pivots as formed directly in the material. They may be thus formed if the bows are made of flat metal stock. For wooden bows and the like the slots may be carried as illustrated in Fig. 6, that is, a flat metal strip 49 may be secured to the bow, illustrated -at 48, by means of rivets 50. A slot 51 is formed in the strip 49 for the reception of the sliding pivot.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A foldable frame for supporting a flexible automobile top comprising a. main bow; a forwardly extending Ytop bow pivoted to the inside of said main bow and a. foldable front bow pivoted to the inside of both said main bow and said top bow, said main bow which carries it and all of said pivots adapted to liefwithin said main bow when said frame is folded and said front bow being constructed to lit within the top bow and said top bow being constructed to fitwithin the `main bow and clear the pivots thereon so that all of said when folded.

3. A foldable frame for supporting a flexible automobile top comprising a main bow; atop bow pivoted' atk each of its extremities `to the inside of and on the center line of said main bow; front supporting bars pivoted to the insideof and on the center lines of both said main bow and said top bow; and a front bow pivoted at its extremities on the inside faces of 'said supporting bar and along the center line of the latter foldable to lie in a plane and be encompassed by said intermediate bow, said top bow being constructed and shaped teclear the pivot on the main bow so that the top and front bows will lie in the plane of said ,main bow when folded.

4. nA foldable frame for supporting a-llexible automobile top comprising a main bow; a top bow pivoted at each of its extremities to the inside of and on the center line of said main bow; front supporting bars pivoted to the inside of and on the center lines of both bows `lie yinthe same plane said main bow and said top bow; and a front bow pivoted at its extremities on the inside faces of said supporting bar and along the center line of the latter, the length of the armsv of the top bow being less than the distance from their pivots to the top of the main bow and said arms being shaped to clear the pivots thereon so that said top bow may pass within said main bow to lie in a plane with vand be entirely encompassed thereby.

5. A foldable frame for supporting a flexible automobile top `comprising a main bow;

la -top bow pivoted at each of its extremities bow so that said top bow may pass within said main bow,.the length of the arms of the front bow being less than the folded distance between the top of the top bow and the pivots between-the said front bow-and said supporting rods so that said front bow will fold within the plane of said top bow.

6. A foldable frame for supporting a flexible automobile top comprising a main bow; a top bow pivoted at each of its extremities to the inside of and on the center line of said main bow, front supporting bars pivoted to the inside of and on the center lines of both said main bow and said top bow; and a front bow pivoted atits extremities on the insidefaces of said supporting bar and along the center line of the latter, the width between the arms of the top bow being less than the width of the main bow; the spacing between the supporting bars being less than the width of the top bow and the width between the arms of the front bow being less than the spacing of said supporting bars so that said front bow can pass between said supporting bars, said supporting bars between the arms of said top bow, and said top bow into said main bow so that the several bows lie in the same plane.

7. A foldable automobile top having a supporting frame comprising a supporting bow, an intermediate bow slidably and pivotally mounted on the inside and in the transverse plane of said supporting bow, and a foldable front bow pivotally connected with said supporting bow and said intermediate bow at fixed points and constructed and shaped to intert with and adapted to be folded inside the intermediate bow when the top is folded.

8. A foldable automobil-e top having a supporting frame comprising a supporting bow mounted for swinging movement and provided with elongated slots on the inner sides of the side arms, an intermediate bow having pivotal bearings slidably mounted in said slots within the transverse plane of said supporting bow, and a front bow pivotally connected at its ends with the supporting bow within the transverse plane thereof and above said slots and having cross pivotal connection with the intermediate bow at points on each side spaced from the pivotal mounting of said bows.

9. A foldable automobile top having a supporting frame, comprising a supporting bow rearwardly inclined when in use and having elongated slots at the middle portion on the inner side of each of the side arms thereof, an intermediate bow having its ends pivotally and freely slidably mounted in said slots to slide in the transverse plane of said supporting bow, front bow brace and supporting rods pivotally connected with said supporting bow on the inner sides of the arms thereof at points above the slots and pivotally cross connected with the side arms of said intermediate bow, and a front bow foldabljy7 5 mounted at the free ends of the frontV bow brace and supporting rods, all of said poring said pivotal connections movable endwise with respect to sald arms, and a front supv porting bow having the extremity of its arms pivotally connected on the inner sides of said main bow arms and having cross pivotal connection with said top supporting bow, said top and front supporting bows being so formedand constructed and the pivotal connections being so mad-e that said top bow will fold within the main bow and said front bow will fold within the top bow to thus dispose folded.l

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

DUNCAN EARL GRAHAM.l

the several bows in a single plane when'y 

